October 14, 2018 – The Eastern Surfing Association is proud to share the recap video from its 2018 Easterns® Surfing Championship presented by The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau & Surfer Dudes. Produced by Shoots Media, the short video showcases the near-perfect conditions for weather, location and waves at Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head, North Carolina.

Approximately 300 competitors from Maine through Florida, Gulf coast of Florida and the Great Lakes travel each September in hopes of becoming an ESA Easterns® Champion. Each surfer has qualified through their local ESA districts and regional events.+ Continue Reading

September 27, 2018 – The Eastern Surfing Association held its 50th Easterns® Surfing Championships at Jennette’s Pier in Nags Head, North Carolina last week. Adult surfers were greeted at the start of the week with some fun, smaller waves that rolled into perfectly peeling barrels for the youth finals.

Braeden Kopec, Easterns Menehune U12 Champions. PC: MEZ/ESM

Presented by The Outer Banks Visitors Bureau and Surfer Dudes, the annual week-long event brings amateur surfers from all over the east coast, the Great Lakes and Gulf Coast of Florida to compete in their respective divisions in hopes of claiming an east coast Easterns® championship title.

“There is so much surfing talent along the east coast and The Easterns® is the main event where these surfers can showcase their abilities,” said ESA’s executive director Michelle Sommers. “It’s nice to offer a championship event along the east coast in a location like the Outer Banks where the waves are known to be ideal for elite surfers.”

Hurricane Florence could not keep the youth and adult competitors from making their way via alternate routes to Nags Head. The ESA delayed the start of the event due to the impacts from Hurricane Florence and mandatory evacuations that were in place for the Outer Banks.+ Continue Reading

September 9, 2018 – The Eastern Surfing Association has announced its 2018 recipients of the Marsh Scholarship. Funds are granted to current ESA members who are attending college to assist with tuition, books and other related expenses.

“We had an increased number of applicants this year,” said Michelle Sommers, ESA’s executive director. “It can be a difficult choice when we have several strong candidates, however, the trustee’s voting was consistent to determine the three top recipients.”+ Continue Reading

August 21, 2018 – The ESA is proud to partner with Teton Gravity Research to offer a special Easterns® viewing of the Andy Irons documentary, “Kissed By God,” at Jennette’s Pier on Tuesday, September 18 at 6:30pm.

This is free for Easterns® competitors, and only $15 for parents, ESA members and event spectators. It is not open to the public.

“The ESA is very excited to offer this to its members,” said ESA executive director Michelle Sommers. “The film is working its way around the world being shown in various cities. We are very thankful that Tetron Gravity Research is offering us this opportunity at our largest event of the year in Nags Head.”

Andy Irons: Kissed by God is a film about bipolar disorder and opioid addiction as seen through the life of three-time world champion surfer Andy Irons. Andy struggled with the same demons that millions of people worldwide battle with daily.

Andy was an incredible presence on the world stage as the “People’s Champion.” He was the pride of Hawaii and revered around the world for his blue collar rise to fame and success. However, many were unaware of the internal battles that led to his demise.

As the opioid crisis rises to a national emergency in the United States, the untold story of Andy’s life serves to tear down the myths associated with these two ferocious diseases.

August 16, 2018 – The Eastern Surfing Association is pleased to announce its partnership with Indo Jax® Surf School and Surf Charities as a 2018 Easterns® sponsor.

Indo Jax is a surf school and an outreach program for medically fragile, special needs and at risk youth working primarily in North Carolina, but also globally. Thousands of kids have come through Indo Jax® programs and some have become competitive surfers in the ESA.

“My own kids compete in the ESA,” said Indo Jax® founder Jack Viorel. “I can’t think of a more positive program for kids coming up in surfing and wanting to compete than the Eastern Surfing Association.”+ Continue Reading